Nicotine Exposure in Pregnancy and its Link to Autism Spectrum Disorder: A Review on Evidence, Biological Pathways, and Directions for Future Research in Neurological Disorders

Pregnancy-related smoking and nicotine exposure by the mother can impact the developing brain of the baby and increase the likelihood that the kid will have autism or other neurodevelopmental disorders. However, conflicting epidemiological evidence links prenatal nicotine exposure to ASD, and the molecular processes involved remain unknown. The data on the impact of the mother smoking during pregnancy on the development of the fetal brain and the likelihood of neurodevelopmental disorders such as ASD are thoroughly reviewed in this paper. Nicotine can enter the developing tissue of the baby through the placenta and build up there. In the developing brain, it attaches itself to nicotinic receptors, impairing chemical equilibrium, growth, communication, and cell division, all essential for the passage of…